This invention pertains to barbells and dumbbells (hereinafter collectively, xe2x80x9cbar bellsxe2x80x9d), and more specifically to the type of barbell and dumbbell known in the fitness industry and in athletics as a xe2x80x9cthick barxe2x80x9d or, alternatively, a xe2x80x9cfat barxe2x80x9d.
Thick bars have handles of substantially greater outer diameter (xe2x80x9cO.D.xe2x80x9d), at least in the region gripped by the user, than the handles of conventional bars. While the handles of conventional barbells and dumbbells have outer diameters of 27-33 mm (1.062-1.3 inches), the outer diameter of a thick bar handle is typically 50-77 mm (approx. 2-3 inches). As used herein, the term xe2x80x9cthick barxe2x80x9d will be used to mean a bar bell or dumbbell having a handle with an O.D. equal to or greater than approximately 45 mm (approx. 1xc2xe inches) in the regions gripped by the user.
Thick bars are favored by serious strength athletes (including weightlifters) to build the powerful grip highly desired by competitors in those fields. By having to grab and hold on to an O.D. equal to or greater than approximately 45 mm during training, the athlete is constantly recruiting all of the synergistic muscles in the hand, wrist and forearm. Compared with using conventional barbells and dumbbells, the athlete has to work harder to hold and balance the larger O.D. handle. This harder effort promotes more rapid muscular development in the forearms and hands. This increased muscular development helps reduce injuries to the hand and forearm, and helps develop a powerful grip.
Previous attempts at producing thick handle barbells and dumbbells have suffered from the serious deficiency of not having a rotatable sleeve. Without a rotating sleeve, weight plates mounted on the ends of the thick bar cannot rotate smoothly, if at all, about the axis of the bar during normal lifting movements. During lifting, especially with rotational lifting movements, weight plates which cannot rotate freely generate a substantial torque that transfers back to the lifter""s wrist/skeletal system. The weight lifted by serious strength athletes ranges from 100-500 lbs. or more, and the torque transfer can not only be painful, but can also cause an xe2x80x9coveruse injuryxe2x80x9d to the athlete. For safety and comfort reasons, a rotating sleeve on a thick bar makes strength training more productive and safer.
An additional and strong preference in the athletic community is that thick bars accommodate standard xe2x80x9cOlympicxe2x80x9d plates. As is known in the art, Olympic plates have a central bar-accommodating hole sized to accommodate a bar having a 50 millimeter O.D. Olympic plates are readily available and are used in virtually all weightlifting contests.
Another strong preference is that the weight of the thick bar handle be somewhere between 40-50 lbs. so that it approximates the weight of a conventional barbell handle(approx. 45 lbs. (20 kg.)).
The invention herein provides a thick bar that permits free rotation of weight plates during weightlifting movements. In its preferred embodiment, a thick bar constructed in accordance with the invention weighs less than 50 lbs., and accommodates Olympic weights.
Briefly, the invention herein is a barbell comprising a generally cylindrical bar of generally annular cross-section having an outer diameter of between approximately 1.5 inches and 3.5 inches and extending longitudinally between a pair of end regions. A rod member is securely inserted within each end region of the bar. Each rod member has an outer segment extending longitudinally outward beyond the respective end region of the bar, the segment having an O.D. less than the O.D. of the bar.
Generally cylindrical sleeves are mounted on the outer segments of the rod members for rotation thereabout the bar""s longitudinal axis. The outer diameter of each sleeve is sized to accommodate the central hole of one or more weight plates.
Dumbbells differ from barbells in the longitudinal dimension, but can be constructed in the same manner as the foregoing barbell. For the sake of brevity, the term xe2x80x9cbarbellxe2x80x9d will accordingly be used to collectively mean barbells and dumbbells when referring to, and when claiming, the invention.